As Florida’s legislative session gets underway, lawmakers there are considering tying prescription drug prices in the state to those in other countries that rely on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) to value health services and treatments.
HB697 and SB1158 would tie Florida drug prices to that of other countries and would present Florida beneficiaries with the same challenges as patients in those countries who struggle to access the latest innovations to treat their disability or serious chronic disease. PIPC shared concerns that legislation referencing drug prices in other countries would thereby import their use of QALYs and similar measures to value treatments, an algorithm that devalues the patients and people with disabilities that stand to most benefit from innovation.
"As drafted, the legislation would reference drug prices in other countries, thereby importing their use of QALYs and similar measures to value treatments, an algorithm that devalues the patients and people with disabilities that stand to most benefit from innovation," the letter states. "As the process moves forward, we hope that the legislature will work with patient and disability communities to address barriers to care, including potential consideration of legislation to bar QALYs as seen in states like Oklahoma."
"As drafted, the legislation would reference drug prices in other countries, thereby importing their use of QALYs and similar measures to value treatments, an algorithm that devalues the patients and people with disabilities that stand to most benefit from innovation," the letter states. "As the process moves forward, we hope that the legislature will work with patient and disability communities to address barriers to care, including potential consideration of legislation to bar QALYs as seen in states like Oklahoma."
| fl_pipc_final_letter.pdf |
